Fujifilm Manager Interview: Full Frame X100F Successor? More Megapixel on Fujifilm X-T3? Medium Format Fixed Lens? X-H1 and more!

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Fujifilm Manager Interview

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MESSAGE TO SOURCE: In case you read this “CMJ”, the rumor box should work now. With your permission, though, I’d love to chat with you via email or any other way you decide. Of course I guarantee 100% anonymity. And last but not least… THANKS a lot :).

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Fujifilm Manager Mr. Udono had a live stream with Thai youtube channel กล้องกล้วยกล้วย. It’s a one hour talk, with questions made in Thai and English answers of the manager. But don’t worry, I listened it all for you, and I’ll make summary for you guys…. you’re welcome ;)

The focus is on the Fujifilm X-H1, of course. You will find a more detailed list of statements at the bottom of this article.

For the start I will focus on some of his answers, that are more related to questions he got about the future of Fujifilm.

Full Frame Interchangeable Lens System
As usual Fujifilm categorically excludes an interchageable lens system with full frame sensor. He says “No plans for FF. We have high quality APS-C sensor and Medium Format“

Full Frame X100F Successor
I know that a wide spread specualtion is that the Fujifilm X100F successor might get a full frame sensor, and it could make sense, since Fujifilm would not have to build up a complete new line of lenses, but also here, Mr. Udono seems to indicate that this won’t happen. He says:

“The most important is design and size. With full frame, the camera and lens will become bigger. Compactness is important factor of X100 line. We don’t want to miss such important point“

So, if you ever hoped for a full frame X100… these words don’t really make much hope for that.

On the other hand, the Full Frame Sony RX1RII is actually very compact, and comparing it at camerasize. But compared to the Fujifilm X100F, the RX1 has no hybrid viewfinder, which for sure needs its space too in the camera body.

Medium Format Fixed Lens Camera
The manager does not seem convinced by this idea. A fixed lens camera seems to make sense to him, if it is compact. A fixed lens MF camera would be much bigger than X100F.

Future APS-C Sensor Megapixel
Will Fujifilm offer APS-C sensors with more megapixel than the the current 24MP? The manager answers:

“We have to think at balance between image quality and speed. More pixel take longer time to process. 24MP is already enough. If we have opportunity to increase we will, but we have to think at speed and image quality. For high megapixel images we have Fujifilm GFX 50S.”

This fits with what we have already rumored about the Fujifilm X-T3 here, which we know will have still less than 30MP, so there won’t be a huge jump in terms of megapixel on the next generation X-Trans sensor.

IBIS Future
Just like Fuji Guy Billy in the TCSTV live stream here, also Mr. Udono confirms that the IBIS mechanism is currently quite big, hence it does not fit into smaller bodies. His words:

“in order to keep IQ, at the moment Fujifilm needs bigger IBIS unit“

Product Planing – How Long does it Take to make a Camera / Lens?
Mr Udono starts saying that they care of customer feedback when they design new products:

“We listen to customers and photographers. X-H1 we listened to photographers voice and added functions on top of X-T2. Especially for top end cameras we have lots of discussions with photographers. Direct comunication with customers, also via dedicated Fujifilm showrooms”

Then he shares more details about how long exactly it takes to develop and then launch a camera and lens to the market:

“Once we have a fix idea, it takes 1 year to make the camera. But before it takes another year of discussions. So 2 years in total. In case of lens development we need more time.”

And more:

  • 4:2:2 and 10bit: Limitation of processor. We tried to have more specifications, but at the moment it’s difficult
  • MK lenses: Cover 70/80% of film needs. For web-users who shoot video. Not for cinema or TV
  • ETERNA: If lots of request, Eterna might come to other X series cameras
  • Size: small and lightweight is still top key factor for mirrorless, also in future
  • Fujifilm X-T2 next firmware update: We will think of upgrading it
  • XF200mF2: coming later this year
  • Touch Screen: more functions and improvements possible
  • Articulating screen: The mechanical parts requested to make articulating screen would make the camera bigger

You can find the full Thai interview at กล้องกล้วยกล้วย Youtube

Fujifilm X-H1 – $150 Bundle Savings: BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera
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Fujifilm X-H1 Coverage: X-H1 facebook group + X-H1 facebook Page

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Fringer EF-FX Smart Adapter Firmware Update ver. 1.20

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Fringer just released another firmware update for their EF-FX Smart adapter. The adapter itself is sadly still out of stock (it sold out within an hour). And remember, they still have the special offer on the Contax 645-GFX smart adapter running.

I remind you that also Steelsring has a Canon EF to Fuji X Smart Adapter available, for the same price of $299. You can get it here at steelsring.

List of smart adapters available or soon to come:

Full Firmware release notes

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Photographers Anonymous – Why I Hate All of You!

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GUEST POST FEATURE
Write Your Articles Directly On FujiRumors!

Guest Post by The Overrated Photographer. You can follow him on instagram or on his website

I just wanted tell you all how much I hate you all.

It may seem harsh, but as a member of Photographers Anonymous (PA), life isn’t easy dealing with this GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) addiction. Every Tuesday night we meet up, talk about our problems with photography purchases. Once in a while, a person slips up and they show up with a new body or lens, but we support them, we don’t judge, that’s what we do because we’re a family in it together.

But this isn’t about them, this is about me. This is about my problem…

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Fujifilm Manager DPReview Interview: “We want DSLR Users Friendly Fujifilm X-H1”

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Jun Watanabe - Manager of Product Planning in the Sales & Marketing group
Jun Watanabe – Manager of Product Planning in the Sales & Marketing group

Fujifilm Manager X-H1 Interview

DPReview interviewed Fujifilm manager Jun Watanabe about the Fujifilm X-H1.

Here some excerpts:

  • IBIS: Q: Fuji said in the past IBIS not compatible with X-mount? A: We have spent the past two or three years developing a system where using both hardware and software, we can cover [the necessary] imaging circle. The most important thing is precision. Because a sensor with IBIS is a floating device, it has to be perfectly centered and perfectly flat. We had already achieved a sensor flatness tolerance down to an order of microns, but the challenge was to maintain this precision with IBIS.
  • ETERNA: We wanted to create a more cinematic look, so we studied ‘Eterna’ – one of our cine film emulsions
  • ZEBRA: We couldn’t add zebra because of hardware constraints. The processor cannot support it. It requires too much processing power. At this time, we’ve achieved the best possible performance for the processor.
  • 10 bit: There are 10-bit cameras on the market, but we recommend using Eterna to short-cut the recording process. We think 8-bit is enough for good quality.
  • SIZE: Professionals are generally more accepting of larger cameras, and [compared to DSLRs] the X-H1 isn’t that big. And we have had requests from some of our professional users for a bigger camera, especially those photographers that use our longer lenses. A bigger grip and more solid body were both requested.
  • KAIZEN: it’s not impossible to imagine that the X-T2 might yet benefit from some of the advances present in X-H1.
  • PROCESSOR: DPReview say that apparently there were internal discussions about including a dual, or even a completely new processor in the X-H1, but this would have added to development time, as well as cost. It’s possible too that some of the heat-management benefits of the X-H1’s larger internal volume compared to the X-T2 might have been nullified.

Read the whole interview at dpreview.

Fujifilm X-T3 Vs. Fujifilm X-H1

And since I get this question very often these days, the Fujifilm X-T3 will have a new sensor (less than 30MP) and also a new processor, as we reported here. So we can expect improvements over the Fujifilm X-H1, but probably also limitations, since the more powerful processor will be in an overall smaller body, so heat management will definitely be a challange to solve for Fujifilm. But the Fujifilm X-T3 will not have IBIS, and IBIS is indeed a mechanism that takes a lot of space in the X-H1, as Fuji Guy Billy told us here.

Overall I think that even when the Fujifilm X-T3 will be out later this year, there will be still enough reasons for many user to pick the Fujifilm X-H1 over the X-T3, first and foremost because of IBIS, but also the ergnomics and controls will be better for those guys, who feel like the retro controls slow down their shooting, or those who also work with big glass (such as the XF200mmF2).

Sure, Fujifilm could re-design the Fujifilm X-T3 to make it more similar to the Fujifilm X-H1, but personally I would consider this a huge error. Fujifilm should not change the much loved design, controls and ergonomics of the X-T2. Let the Fujifilm X-H1 be the camera that goes after traditional DSLR users, and the X-T3 keep 100% the original X-DNA.

Fujifilm X-H1 – $150 Bundle Savings: BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera
Follow FujiRumors on Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter
Fujifilm X-H1 Coverage: X-H1 facebook group + X-H1 facebook Page

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Fujifilm X-H1 Development Story #3 – Weather Sealing and Super Coating

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Fujifilm X-H1 Development Story #3

Fujifilm has just published the third episode of its Fujifilm X-H1 development Story, this time focusing on the camera body.

Previous episodes:

Fujifilm X-H1 – $150 Bundle Savings: BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama, Focuscamera
Follow FujiRumors on Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter
Fujifilm X-H1 Coverage: X-H1 facebook group + X-H1 facebook Page

Weather Sealing:

“it has total of 68 sealing points on the body alone, and additional 26 sealing points for the battery grip. For your reference, the number of sealing points is 61 for X-Pro2 and 63 for X-T2 […] There are more buttons on the X-H1. There are also physical changes in the shape with the new devices. These factors contributed to more complicated weather sealing design for the X-H1. […] we test to see whether it could actually withstand -10℃ temperature. The temperature is actually set at lower than -10℃ for the test.

Coating:

 “The X-H1 is also treated with a new coating on the exterior. If you compare the X-H1 with the X-T2, they may look very similar at first glance. Both have the same black hammer tone finish. But if you take a closer look, you will see that the grain size of the exterior coating is a bit different. […] The scratch resistance of the coating is measured in H. Previous X Series models are 4H, which is very durable already. The value is same as that of automobile body coating. The X-H1 achieves 8H scratch resistance.

Full story at fujifilm-x

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